Welcome to Colorado VOAD!

June 29, 2017 4:17 PM

The Lightner Creek Fire began to fire on Wednesday afternoon in Lightner Creek, CO, just two miles west of Durango, CO. The fire has destroyed one home. The fire is 100+ acres in size. Lightner Creek area and Twin Buttes subdivision have been evacuated with an estimated 150-200 people being displaced at this time. The American Red Cross is managing a shelter at the La Plata County Fairgrounds.

Here is the latest CO_WEBEOC General Update:

"The Lightner Creek Fire continues to burn West of Durango. At this time the exact acreage is unknown. Last night fire activity was high as humidity did not come up, and active burning continued. Critical infrastructure is threatened and includes power lines, water, a single communication tower, along with commercial and residential buildings. The homeless camp located in the area has been evacuated.

The fire has reach the top of Perins Peak, and spotting is a high concern on the west side of Durango. Beginning at noon, forecasters estimate high fire activity including 35 mph wind gusts, and temperatures in the high 80s. Access into neighborhoods is of high concerns in many areas as there is a single ingress and egress into many of the threatened neighborhoods. Firefighter safety is of the highest concern. At 10:00 a flight by DFPC will be performed to gain thermal imaging and create better estimates of total fire acreage. The current shelter is expected to be moved later today, but a location has not yet been identified.

COVOAD will be monitoring this event closely and will notify you all in the event that we need to convene a conference call to address human services. If your agency is responding to the region or being requested for service, please share it with COVOAD leadership for distribution. Thank you to the American Red Cross and other partners who may already be in the region and providing support services.

April 20, 2017 4:30 PM

To All COVOAD Members and Partners:

The election of strong, experienced officers is crucial to the development and ongoing function of COVOAD. Each of the officers (the Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer) is vital to promoting collaboration, communication, coordination, and cooperation. The NominatingCommittee is now calling for nominations, here: http://bit.ly/NominateOfficers. The NominatingCommittee comprises:· Cathy Kissner, Seventh-Day Adventists· Julianna Lochte, American Red Cross· Bernie Lodge, The Salvation Army (Chair)· Aaron Titus, BoCo VOAD (Secretary)

Please nominate those who you feel will develop COVOAD to a greater level of strength.

Elections for officers will be held in early June, 2017. You may nominate more than one person. You do not need to have paid dues to nominatesomeone. Please ensure each nominee is willing to serve. Nominees must be an endorsed representative of a COVOAD Member in good standing (see Bylaws Section 6-3). Nominations will remain open until May 12, 2017. Nominate early and often!

After you nominate, the NominatingCommittee will verify that the person is willing and eligible. They will also ask the nominee to share his/her background, then present the information to the membership at or before the election.

To nominate someone please complete the Google form at this link: http://bit.ly/NominateOfficersThe COVOAD election is scheduled at the next quarterly meeting in early June, 2017. As a technical matter, the COVOAD membership made a motion to hold elections within 90 days of the annual meeting, which would be May 31, 2017. A roughly 10-day extension will be required to hold elections at the regularly scheduled quarterly meeting. The NominatingCommittee believes that the extension is reasonable. If you have any concerns about the extension, please contact the COVOAD Interim Chair, Lee Lampert.

July 18, 2016 10:30 AM

COVOAD will be hosting another membership call to discuss the recent 2016 Colorado Fires

Tuesday, 7/19 at 1:00 PM:

Dial-in Number: 641-715-3580

Meeting ID: 927-657-685

July 11, 2016 3:30 PM

COLD SPRINGS FIRE UPDATE:

COVOAD and 211 are monitoring the Cold Springs Fire near Nederland. BoCoVOAD is active and has representatives in the Boulder EOC. The state OEC remains activated to help support local firefighting efforts. Estimated size of the fire remains at approximately 600 acres. Afternoon conditions are expected to be challenging as temperatures rise and the winds pick up.

Evacuation Centers:

The American Red Cross is currently operating two evacuation centers with overnight shelters:

Nederland High School

597 Eldora Road

East Boulder Recreation Center

5660 Sioux Drive

Pets are welcome at both locations. Crates and dog food are being provided for them as well.

Feeding services are being provided by The Salvation Army and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief.

FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS:

A fire relief fund has been set up through Foothills United way to help residents impacted by the Cold Springs Fire near Nederland.

The funds will be distributed by the Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services through

case managers working with fire-impacted residents. This is the best way the community can assist fire survivors at this time.

There are still no current in-kind donation or volunteer needs.

Additional VOAD agencies are on standby waiting for requests. All community members seeking volunteer or donation opportunities are being encouraged to visit www.HelpColoradoNow.org to sign up for updates and email newsletters.

Boulder OEM anticipates it will be at least 2-3 days before many evacuated residents can return to their homes. As of Sunday evening, a total of 1,991 residents have been evacuated.

COVOAD and 211 are monitoring the Cold Springs Fire near Nederland. BoCoVOAD is active and has representatives in the Boulder EOC.

The American Red Cross opened one shelter at the Nederland Middle/Senior High School (597 Eldora Road) and that at the Gilpin County Fairgrounds (230 Norton Drive in Black Hawk) The Nederland shelter had 13 people overnight. Evacuated pets are being taken to the Humane Society of Boulder Valley, while livestock was being taken to the Boulder County Fairgrounds. An additional shelter/evacuation center has opened in Boulder at the East Boulder Rec. Center at 5660 Sioux Drive. Small animals will be accomodated. The Salvation Army is preparing and serving meals with assistance from Southern Baptist Disaster Relief. Total meal count to date is 300.

At this time, there are no current donation or volunteer needs. Additional VOAD agencies are on standby waiting for requests. All community members seeking volunteer or donation opportunities are being encouraged to visit www.HelpColoradoNow.orgto sign up for updates and email newsletters.

As of 3:30 PM, Boulder OEM reports that the fire has doubled in size to 600+ acres. Unusually high temperatures coupled with low relative humidity and high winds have contributed to the fire’s growth. There are currently 20 helicopters and aircraft performing bucket operations from Barker Reservoir supporting more than 200 firefighters on the ground. Highway 119 in Boulder Canyon was closed this afternoon due to these

Boulder OEM anticipates it will be at least 2-3 days before many evacuated residents can return to their homes. As of 5:00 PM a total of 1,991 residents have been evacuated. Approximately 1,253 people were evacuated from areas north and west of Boulder Canyon and east of Peak to Peak Highway on July 9 (Saturday) and an additional 738 were told to evacuate today (Sunday) from the Magnolia area (south and east of Boulder Canyon Rd.) as of 3:12 p.m.

COVOAD will continue to provide updates on this website and on our social media accounts. Additionally HelpColoradoNow will be updated with any new information regarding volunteering and donations.

COVOAD will be hosting a conference call with agency partners tomorrow, Monday July 11th at 1:00 PM.

We are deeply saddened by the loss of Sandi Meier, a wonderfully giving person who touched our hearts and never failed to make us smile. An incredible force in her community and a tireless advocate for disaster recovery work, Sandi will always be remembered for her dedication to helping her neighbors in need. Sandi was a beloved member of our COVOAD family, and will be sorely missed.

Sadly, only one day after Sandi passed away, her family also lost Sandi’s husband, Al.

“If ever a love story existed, it’s the one my mom and “Dad” Al Meier shared. When they said their vows all those years ago, they literally meant until death do us part. It breaks my heart to share that dad passed away this morning just a day after mom. May they rest in peace and continue their journey together in heaven.”

- Kelli Johnson (Sandi’s Daughter)

We join Sandi’s colleagues and friends in mourning, and offer our thoughts and condolences to her family during this difficult time.

COVOAD members please join our conference calls on the current severe weather situation to get an update on the current flooding situation and COVOAD activities throughout the State. If you don't have the conference call information please contact yourCOVOAD leadership.

Affected by the

Severe Weather and Need Help?

There are services available to those who have been affected by the sever weather impacting Colorado. For information in support and services available, contact 211

Looking for Information on How to Help?

Want to learn how to best assist those affected by the May/June flooding and tornados in Colorado? Information on how you can most effectively help can be found on: www.HelpColoradoNow.org

Long Term Recovery Groups active in Colorado Recovery

If you were affected by the 2013 floods and are looking for assistance the following are links to the Three Counties with Long Term Recovery Groups:

Financial support to voluntary agencies responding to disasters is the most effective way to help

Cash allows disaster agencies to purchase exactly what is needed

To make a financial gift to the organization of your choice, please go to www.helpcoloradonow.orgfor a list of reputable agencies responding to the disaster

Member agencies of Colorado Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster does not promote one charity over another. Please donate to a charity of your choice.

HelpColoradoNow.org is a partnership between the Colorado Division of Emergency Management (CDHSEM) and Colorado Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (COVOAD). This initiative brings together government agencies and non-profit organizations so they may better assist communities affected by disasters.

Colorado Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (COVOAD) is the Colorado state chapter of National Voluntary Agencies Active in Disasters (NVOAD). It consists of organizations active in disaster response throughout the state of Colorado. COVOAD's role is to bring organizations together, enable them to understand each other and work together in a cohesive manner. To accomplish these goals, COVOAD meets with its member organizations several times each year to share information and training opportunities. These meetings also provide the opportunity to conduct business, plan, network, and provide updates on current disaster relief efforts.

"After a tornado ripped through Windsor and parts of Weld County, COVOAD member agencies stepped in to meet a host of critical community needs, including sheltering, mass feeding, donations management, volunteer coordination, crisis counseling, case management and call center operations. I encourage all emergency managers to build strong working relationships with their non-profit and voluntary agency partners. The investment will result in stronger, more resilient communities."

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